Minnesota CPA Society to Teens: CPAs aren't all business

Bloomington, Minn. (Aug. 16, 2002) -- In an effort to debunk the stereotype of CPAs as green eyeshade-wearing geeks, the Minnesota Society of CPAs is launching a Youth Awareness Campaign aimed at bringing teens into the profession.

The effort features five posters depicting MNCPA members engaged in their favorite hobbies with the tagline "CPAs aren’t all business." One poster features Minneapolis CPA Jay Elsted mountain climbing. The posters direct teens to the MNCPA web site, www.mncpa.org.

"There's a great misperception about what accountants do and what accounting is about. We're trying to break the stereotype," said Dori Estrella, MNCPA director of member services. Estrella said the program complements the AICPA's national $25 million, five-year student campaign. "We wanted to have campaign that had a more local feel."

To ensure that it would hit its intended mark, two students were included in the project task force. MNCPA devoted $50,000 to the campaign this year for creative and distribution costs. Initially, the posters will be placed in schools and other locations frequented by teens, such as bus stops. Eventually, Estrella said the posters will be featured in movie theatres around the state.